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Theater Department

275 Washington Terrace
Middletown, CT 06459
860-685-2961

Honors in Theater

Preliminary honors proposals with a bibliography are due one week after the end of spring break in the junior year. Students can submit proposals for either critical or creative honors theses.

Preliminary proposals will be judged based on clearly expressed objectives and evidence of research and preparation. Judgments will be based equally on preliminary research, clarity of the objectives of the process, and rationale for staging a given production. Please consult the section "Application Guidelines for Honors in Theater" in the handbook.

Honors

The Honors Committee will award honors on the basis of the readers’ evaluations. Students are entitled to copies of the readers’ comments. The Honors Tutor is responsible for assigning a grade for the courses THEA409 and THEA410; this grade need not reflect the decision of the Honors Committee to award or deny Departmental Honors.

High Honors

High Honors in Theater is by invitation only and requires an oral exam conducted by the Honors Committee.
The Honors Committee will invite qualified students according to the following criteria: consideration of the readers’ evaluations; originality of research and thesis topic; the student’s performance in courses as reflected in his or her transcript; compliance with the General Education Expectations; and the extent to which the student’s educational experience reflects the philosophy, goals, and diversity of the department.Final deadlines for written documents and productions are determined by the Honors College.

Beyond completing the major requirements, prerequisites to apply for honors theses are

Acting

  • At least two advanced Acting courses with an A- average
  • Performing in a Theater Department faculty production
  • Completion of THEA203: Special Topics in Theater History and THEA302: Contemporary Theater; and near completion of literature, theory, criticism, or service learning requirements for the major.
  • For self-directed projects, THEA281: Directing I or THEA286: Solo Performance

Design (Scenic, Costume, Lighting, Media)

  • Two courses in design with an A- average
  • One course in Visual Literacy
  • Assistant designing/tutorial with a faculty member
  • Completion of THEA203: Special Topics in Theater History and THEA302: Contemporary Theater; and near completion of literature, theory, criticism, or service learning requirements for the major.

Directing

  • An A- average in THEA281 Directing I and THEA381 Directing II
  • At least one course in design with an A- or better grade
  • Stage-managing or assistant directing in a Theater department faculty production
  • Completion of THEA203: Special Topics in Theater History and THEA302: Contemporary Theater; and near completion of literature, theory, criticism, or service learning requirements for the major.

Playwriting

  • At least two courses in playwriting with an A- average
  • An additional course in creative writing taken in- or outside of the Theater Department
  • Completion of Theater History and literature, theory, criticism, or service learning requirements for the major.
  • Serving as a dramaturg for a Theater department faculty production

Theater Research (Criticism, History, Literature)

  • Completion of THEA203: Special Topics in Theater History and THEA302: Contemporary Theater; and near completion of literature, theory, criticism, or service learning requirements for the major.
  • Two courses in Acting, Design, or Directing with an A- average
  • Serving as a dramaturg for a Theater department faculty production

ALL HONORS CANDIDATES MUST HAVE AT LEAST AN A- AVERAGE OVERALL IN THE MAJOR.